Pointing device with improved cursor control in-air and allowing multiple modes of operations

Abstract

Cursor resolution of a device is based upon a user's gripping (or squeezing) of the device in one embodiment, in accordance with a user's natural usage patterns. In one aspect, a device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention offers multiple modes of operation depending on its orientation (e.g., which side of the device is facing upward). A device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention can be used as a mouse, a presentation device, a keyboard for text entry, and so on. In one aspect of the present invention, circular gesture based controls are implemented, specifically for repetitive type functions.

1 . A method for improved input function control using an in-air input device for controlling an input function on a display, the method comprising:
 measuring a displacement of the in-air input device;   measuring an amount of pressure applied to the in-air input device by a user;   using the displacement of the input device to control an amount of the input function on the display; and   scaling the amount of the input function by a scaling factor based upon the measured amount of pressure.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said input function is one of a cursor, scrolling, volume control, channel control and zoom. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of measuring the amount of pressure applied to the in-air input device by a user comprises measuring pressure exerted by the user's hand on a trigger handle in the in-air pointing device. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of scaling comprises:
 responsive to the pressure being less than a first threshold, using a first scaling factor of zero;   responsive to the pressure being greater than the first threshold and less than a second threshold, using a scaling factor of one; and   responsive to pressure being greater than the second threshold and less than a third threshold, using a scaling factor decreasing with an increasing measured pressure;   wherein the first threshold is less than the second threshold, the second threshold is less than the third threshold.   
   
   
       5 . An in-air input device for controlling an input function on a display, comprising:
 a displacement sensor for measuring a displacement of the in-air input device;   a pressure sensor for measuring an amount of pressure applied to the in-air input device by a user;   a controller which receives the displacement of the input device and uses it to control an amount of the input function on the display; and   said controller scaling the amount of the input function by a scaling factor based upon the measured amount of pressure.   
   
   
       6 . An input device operational in multiple modes, the input device comprising:
 a housing having a first surface and a second surface;   a first input element on said first surface of the input device, the first input element being used to operate the input device in a first mode; and   a second input element on the second surface of the input device, the second input element being used to operate the input device in a second mode.   
   
   
       7 . The input device of  claim 6  wherein said first surface is a top surface and said second surface is a bottom surface. 
   
   
       8 . The input device of  claim 6 , wherein the first and second input elements are touch zones. 
   
   
       9 . The input device of  claim 6 , wherein the first input element is visible only when the input device is in the first mode and the second input element is visible only when the input device is in the second mode. 
   
   
       10 . The input device of  claim 6 , wherein the input device is in the first mode in response to a determination that the first surface is facing up. 
   
   
       11 . The input device of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 an inclinometer for determining the orientation of the device.   
   
   
       12 . The input device of  claim 6 , wherein the input device is in the second mode in response to a determination that the second surface is facing up. 
   
   
       13 . The input device of  claim 6  configured to work in air. 
   
   
       14 . The input device of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a trigger handle for scaling a measured angular displacement of the input device for improved cursor control.   
   
   
       15 . The input device of  claim 6 , wherein the first mode is a mouse mode. 
   
   
       16 . The input device of  claim 6 , wherein the second mode is a keyboard mode. 
   
   
       17 . The input device of  claim 6 , wherein the second mode is a presentation device mode. 
   
   
       18 . A method for operating an input device in multiple modes, comprising:
 orienting the input device with a first surface facing upward;   operating a first input element on said first surface of the input device, the first input element being used to operate the input device in a first mode;   orienting the input device with a second surface facing upward; and   operating a second input element on a the second surface of the input device,   the second input element being used to operate the input device in a second mode.   
   
   
       19 . A method for user interface control in an in-air device, comprising:
 measuring the number of circular rotations of the in-air device;   based upon the measured circular rotations, implementing a function in an application.   
   
   
       20 . The method of step  19  wherein the step of implementing the function comprises:
 transmitting a number of ratchet counts to a host which are proportional to the measured number of circular rotations.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein each circular rotation corresponds to one ratchet count. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein each circular rotation corresponds to four ratchet counts. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein a change in a radius of a circular rotation does not affect the number of circular rotations measured. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of measuring the number of circular rotations comprises:
 considering the movement of the input device as a phasor with a variable modulus; and   extracting phase information from the phasor.